Drumming

Drumming

The rhythm of drumming is easy for our bodies to take in as was the rhythm of our mother's heartbeat.

That rhythm renews us is no secret. Drumming is the oldest form of music on the planet. Virtually every culture that exists or has existed on earth has practiced some form of drumming. In Africa, the beating of a drum continues to be an important part of significant ceremonies and holiday celebrations. Native American cultures use drumming as a means to reconnect an individual's mental and physical selves. Throughout history, drumming has been a part of performing rituals, marking significant transitions, and celebrating life's cycles. Our lives are infused with rhythm beginning at the very moment we first sense our mother's heartbeat in her womb.

All manner of drumming has the ability to put us in touch with our own natural rhythms, the rhythms of the earth, and the rhythms of the people we choose to drum with. The drum can represent the heart, and drumming awakens the mind while stirring the soul. Drumming can take you to a place deep inside you where you are keenly aware of your mind and your body, as well as the vital bond between the two. Much like human beings, each drum has its own vibration and voice. Drumming alone can help you release tension, dispel stress and aggressive feelings, and restore your energy. It can also give you an opportunity to reestablish your connection to Mother Earth, as the beat of a drum can represent a crack of lightning, pounding ocean waves, or the tumult of an earthquake.

Drumming with others brings with it many benefits. Taking part in a drumming circle attunes us to the invisible energy that exists between us while uniting us in a common purpose. Drumming can be relaxing as well as energizing. It quiets mental chatter and can create a peaceful meditative state. In Navajo lore, the drum is the Great Spirit's favorite instrument. It is said that this is why all human beings were given a heartbeat. The rhythmic beating of a drum can move us into new realms of consciousness. There is no right or wrong way to drum, and everyone has the innate ability to create rhythm. When you drum with intention, you'll discover the rhythms that move you.

DailyOM Course Spotlight

by Abi Carver

One of the reasons yoga is so effective at alleviating pain in the lower back, neck and shoulders is that it works on a number of different levels simultaneously--loosening up joint restrictions, stretching tight muscles, re-activating weak muscles, adjusting alignment, relaxing the body and calming the mind. Yoga--along with a few other simple techniques--can be really effective at relieving the pain. We can release tension, restore range of motion and re-activate weakened muscles. A regular yoga practice has the potential to prevent and heal injury, to make you stronger, fitter, more supple, to enhance your physical performance and to sharpen your mental focus. However, with everything you have to do, we know that you don't have time to find a 90-minute yoga for recovery class to attend every week. That's why Abi Carver put together this course to distill and simplify this crucial aspect of your wellbeing into 15-minute guided video practices.